Hallelujah for Chenin Blanc. So many people gave up on this varietal, not realizing, that much like Pinotage, it just needs a little TLC. My wife and I were in Paris earlier in the year, and went to the Sunday Market near Bastille to a Foie Gras stall. I purchased myself some of the prized pate, and have been keeping it in the fridge ever since. Anyhow, I’d been waiting for the right moment and the right company to put some Sauterne in the chiller and whip open the Foie Gras and turn myself into a Domestic God. But it couldn’t wait - upon tasting the Ken Forrester 2007 Petit Chenin, with its mild acidity, and soft delicate flavours, I knew it was perfect for the Foie Gras, and it was 100%, to my mind, the right choice. Many of the wines served in France with Fois Gras are a little too sweet, but the Petit Chenin was lip smackingly good. Perhaps Mr. Forrester should start farming ducks.

What an unbelievable area! I don’t think there is a more beautiful synergy of nature and civilization in the entire world other than possibly Cape Town, South Africa… check out the pics below. Even more, it just so happens that these are two of the best grape growing regions in the world.

San Francisco Bay (taken from Telegraph Hill)

Cape Town, South Africa (taken from Table Mountain)

As a wine novice and an energized entrepreneur, my life in the wine world began this past week. The excitement that traveling and soaking in what life has to offer is absolutely priceless. Even more, the wine industry and the people that gravitate to it are just awesome. There is a camaraderie among its participants and even competitors that truly brings out the human element in all of us and bonds us together.

I’ve mentioned them in a previous post, but this past week I had the fortune of meeting and hanging out with the fine people at Inertia Beverage Group. They’re sharp, smart, competitive, but best of all they’re great people that really care about making a positive change. We all shared a common vision of changing this industry for the better by not just helping people do there jobs easier, but by using wine as a unifier among people. “Water separates the people of the world, wine unites them.” Paul, I hope you’re cool with me snagging your quote… it’s right on the money.

For the change that I want to see made in our world, and the action that needs to take place to see that change, I don’t think there is a better industry to be involved in than the wine business. How about we calm down on the kegging and Jager bombs and toast to a better life with a smooth glass of vino. Trust me, you’ll feel the love.

I love Sauvignon Blanc… I just have an insatiable appetite for it, because whilst Merlot can be a bit of a vineyard slut, Sauvignon Blanc shows a different face wherever she grows. Coming to the United States I was very interested to pick up the pink grape fruit notes in the Marlborough region. I love the fruit in new world wines, but I soon found that too much fruit can amount to one-dimensionality and soon saturates the palate, and if one is drinking their Sauvignon with Salmon, that pink grape-fruit and Cat’s pee may be a little tainting to the pure flavour of the fish. Insofar as Pouilly Fume is concerned, I’m a little squeamish about white wine that costs over $15.00, purely because Read the rest of this entry »